BERA, Oct 30 — The Barisan Nasional (BN) government is one that is concerned with the welfare and needs of the people, including youths, said caretaker prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He said this is reflected through various forms of assistance given as well as the announcement of initiatives for youth groups, including housing and business aspects, to improve their socioeconomic status.

"A lot (initiatives) have been announced, including for businesses such as soft loans (to start and expand business). In fact Bera used to be a mobilepreneur programme before the government of 22 months scrapped it, which we have reintroduced for the people.

"So youths can now apply to own motorcyles to be used to expand their businesses,” he said at the Moh Wei 2 Wheel Motorsport@Bera programme here today.

As a testimony of the government’s concern to ensuring youths can also afford their own homes, Ismail Sabri cited the announcement of the Housing Loan Guarantee Scheme which allows those with no salary slips to apply for housing loans.

"This scheme opens up opportunities for young people to own houses because the government itself will be the guarantor for their housing loans,” he said.

Specifically in Bera, Ismail Sabri said 1,000 housing units under the People’s Housing Programme (PPR) will be built in Bandar 34, involving three-room terraced houses sold at RM45,000 per unit after being subsidised by the government compared to the original price of more than RM160,000.

Besides welfare-based initiatives, the caretaker prime minister said the government is also sensitive to the interests of youths, including in motorsports, and the announcement of a RM20 million allocation for a drag race circuit to encourage youth to participate in motorsports through the right platform is a testimony of this.

Among the locations for the circuit is Bera, said Ismail Sabri, and this announcement was greeted with cheers and applause from motorsports fans who had thronged the event venue since this morning.

Ismail Sabri, however, reminded the people that Budget 2023 would "need the people’s support” as it needs to be tabled again to be approved, given that Parliament was dissolved three days after it was presented. — Bernama